Italian Kimi Antonelli Became The Youngest Formula 1 Champion In History

• 2.11.2026, 10:11

He's only 20 years old.

Italian Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli finished third at the Mexican Grand Prix and clinched the Formula 1 championship title ahead of schedule, according to Reuters.

Antonelli became the youngest champion in racing history; as of November 1, he was 20 years and 68 days old. He is also the first Italian to win the title since 1953.

Before Antonelli, the youngest Formula 1 champion was the German Sebastian Vettel. He won his first title in 2010 at the age of 23 years and 134 days, and went on to become world champion three more times.

The Mexican Grand Prix, where Antonelli finished third, was won by Max Verstappen of Red Bull. Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton finished second.

“I’m speechless. I’m still trying to wrap my head around what happened,” Antonelli admitted after the race. “It’s been an amazing season, and sharing the podium with Max and Lewis is just incredible.”

The excerpt does not explicitly state that Antonelli became the champion; this is only implied by the context. If the full text mentions this, it should be added at the beginning.